What Happened on October 7
Significant Events
- 1571 Battle of Lepanto: Holy League of southern European nations destroy Ottoman fleet in significant loss off Western Greece
- 1737 A cyclone causes 40 foot waves that are believed to have killed 300,000 in Calcutta, India
- 1763 George III of Great Britain issues Proclamation of 1763, closing lands in North America north and west of Alleghenies to white settlement
- 1919 KLM, Royal Dutch Airlines, established (oldest existing airline)
- 2001 The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan starts with an air assault and covert operations on the ground
October 7 in Film & TV
- 1971 "The French Connection" directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider and Fernando Rey premieres in the US (Academy Awards Best Picture 1972)
October 7 in Music
- 1982 Musical "Cats" opens at Winter Garden Theater on Broadway NYC and runs for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000.
October 7 in Sport
- 2000 Last ever competitive soccer match at Wembley Stadium, England defeated 1-0 by Germany, last goal scored by Liverpool's Dietmar Hammann. Match is Tony Adams' 60th at Wembley, the record for most appearances at the stadium.
Did You Know?
Far side of Moon seen for the 1st time, courtesy of USSR's Luna 3 space probe
On October 7, 1959
Famous Birthdays
Niels Bohr
(1885 - 1962)
Elijah Muhammad
(1896 - 1975)
Heinrich Himmler
(1900 - 1945)
Desmond Tutu
87 Years Old
Vladimir Putin
66 Years Old
Simon Cowell
59 Years Old
Would You Believe?
Georgia Tech, coached by John Heisman, defeat Cumberland 222-0, most lopsided score in the history of US college football
On October 7, 1916
Famous Weddings
- 1776 Crown Prince Paul of Russia marries Sophie Marie Dorothea of Württemberg.
- 1914 44th US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. (26) weds John F. Fitzgerald's daughter, Rose Fitzgerald (24)
- 1965 Actress and comedian Phyllis Diller (48) weds actor Warde Donovan
- 1978 Country singer Merle Haggard (41) weds his backup singer Leona Williams (35)
- 1989 Radio talk show host Larry King weds Julie Alexander
Famous Divorces
- 1988 Robin Givens files for divorce after 8-month marriage to Mike Tyson
- 2004 Actress Andie MacDowell (46) divorces businessman Rhett Hartzog (45) after nearly three years of marriage
George Mason
Edgar Allan Poe
Willis Carrier
Clarence Birdseye
Leo DurocherOctober in History
Elvis Comes Fifth in Talent Show
Elvis Presley made his first public appearance as a singer on this day. It did not go well: he came fifth in a local talent show. But he was only ten years old.
October 3, 1945
Barking Mad! Puppies Slain to Cure Leg Injury
Charles Darwin shocked the world in 1859 with his evolution theory. Today, it's his writings about practices in the 19th Century that will shock many modern readers.
October 3, 1833
Jazz Singer Sounds Death Knell for Silent Movies
The Jazz Singer was premiered on this day and audiences were thrilled to hear Al Jolson talking. The pioneer film spelled the end for the silent-movie industry.
October 6, 1927
The Great Stand on the Ugra River
On one side of the Ugra River stood the Mongol Golden Horde, on the other, Ivan III, Grand Prince of the rising Muscovy Principality. At stake, everything.
October 8, 1480